Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2010
This paper is concerned with the determination of the small deflexions and stresses in a thin isotropic homogeneous semi-circular plate subject to hydrostatic pressure distributed over the entire plate. The semi-circular plate is clamped along the bounding diameter and elastically restrained, against rotation along the circular edge, according to a general boundary condition including the simply supported and rigidly clamped boundaries as particular cases. The boundary conditions around the circular edge and the condition of zero deflexion on the straight edge are exactly satisfied while the remaining condition of zero slope on the bounding diameter is approximately satisfied. Calculations have been carried out corresponding to three cases of boundary constraint; namely, those for which the edge is fully restrained, the edge is simply supported and an intermediate case. Positions and magnitudes of maximum deflexions are determined. Numerical results are presented in tabular and graphical forms.